


Reckless Meetings

by onereyofstarlight



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, First Meetings, Museums
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24126595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onereyofstarlight/pseuds/onereyofstarlight
Summary: A Pen and Ink AU where Gordon teaches primary school and Penelope works at a museum.
Relationships: Penelope Creighton-Ward/Gordon Tracy
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	Reckless Meetings

They were running late. Gordon raced through the halls of the museum, knowing that if he and his students got to the planetarium after the doors closed, they wouldn’t be allowed in and then he’d have to find some way to entertain twenty bored and cranky children while they waited for the bus. He was determined that he would not let that happen.

“Nearly there,” he shouted. “Quick, sound off!”

His students giggled loudly as they began calling out their assigned numbers.

Gordon turned around and began running backwards as there was a conspicuous gap following Number Eight.

“ETHAN, SOUND OFF!”

“Nine!”

_Thank heavens_ , thought Gordon. If they’d had to turn back now, then it would all be over. As it was, John would only hold the doors for them for so long. Having a brother working at the museum had its perks, background tours for the kids and the best classroom visits of various scientists and historians, but John operated on a strict schedule when it came to his planetarium shows.

He could see his kids, running with exhilarated smiles on their faces, all loving the game of getting to race through the back hallways of the museum through the shortcuts Gordon knew like the back of his hand.

Like he said, there were perks.

They were nearly there, Gordon knew that they were passing through the Ancient Civilisations section, that linked to the Space and Astronomy section via a hallway charting the history of the stars. They were in the home stretch.

“Hard a-port,” he cried, as they came to the final left turn that would lead them to the last hallway before reaching the planetarium.

He looked up as he spun on ball of his foot, his eyes widening as his vision filled with blonde hair and startled blue eyes.

He crashed to the floor amidst gasps and flying papers. The lady he’d just slammed into fell to the ground and he looked over in horror and rising embarrassment at her and her work, so carelessly strewn about them both by his actions. 

“Mr Tracy,” chorused his group of eight year olds, surging forward to help him up.

“I’m fine, kids,” he said with a slight laugh, brushing them off even as his cheeks began to burn. “Help this nice lady by picking up her papers.”

As they scrambled to collect the scattered pages, he turned back to the stranger he’d bumped into. She was young, probably no more than a year or two older than him, and pretty too, even looking as flustered by the fall as she did and pushing back the hair that had fallen in her face. He swallowed drily, suddenly very aware of his limbs.

“I am so sorry,” he said, offering his hand to her. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she said, taking his hand hesitantly. “What on earth were you doing, running around so recklessly? There are delicate artefacts all over this building, what if I’d been carrying one of them instead?”

Gordon hung his head at her slight reprimand.

“You’re right,” he said. He didn’t like to be put in his place, especially in front of his students, but he also knew it was a good opportunity to model how to handle being in the wrong. “I’m really am very sorry. I shouldn’t have been running – we shouldn’t have been running.”

“We were just late,” piped up Emma, giving the lady a hopeful smile as she gave her the pile of collected papers. Gordon mimicked her, smiling tentatively as he looked down into her eyes.

She took them with both hands, raising an eyebrow at the higgledy-piggledy mish-mash that had been returned to her.

“Well, there’s no harm done this time,” she said, looking a little forlornly at her work. “Just remember this for next time, would you Mr…?”

“Tracy,” said Gordon promptly. “Gordon Tracy.”

They were still staring at each other. Somehow, she had taken his hand in hers again as they shook in greeting.

A couple of students giggled, the excitement of knowing the secret of his first name still a thrill to their young minds. Sharisse tugged on his arm urgently. Gordon looked down at her, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

“Mr Tracy, we’re going to miss it!”

“You’re right,” he exclaimed. He made to look at his watch and realised he was still holding the lady’s hand. Hurriedly he dropped it, a flush spreading across his cheeks again as he busied himself with counting heads.

Twenty. He sighed in relief, grateful none of them had wandered off in the aftermath.

“Right, let’s keep moving kids, and what have we learnt?”

“Walk, don’t run!”

“You got it,” he said, leading the way. “Nice to meet you,” he called back over his shoulder.

_Damn, I didn’t get her name_ , he thought as he hurried along the hall to where his brother was scowling at him, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.

“You’re late,” hissed John, as he signed the class in and began ushering them to their seats.

“Sorry Johnny,” said Gordon, with an apologetic smile. “Had a bathroom emergency with one of the kids, you know how it is. And there’s more besides, I’ll tell you about it at dinner tonight. You’ll be there this time, right?”

“Hmm? Oh sure,” said John, leading Gordon to his seat before making his way to the back of the room.

“Good afternoon Room 8, my name is John, and I’ll be taking you on a journey through time and space.”

**Author's Note:**

> This snapshot is just a glimpse into one of my favourite daydreams :D I might add more to this at some point, there's definitely enough daydream fodder. But I will mark it as complete for now as I have a number of other projects that I'm prioritising.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!  
> Cross posted from Tumblr, originally posted on 25/02/2020


End file.
